Search form

Search form

In an effort to maintain popularity in an increasingly crowded beer market, some major brands are trying to catch consumers' attention with revamped bottles, such as Miller Lite's first new bottle since 1973 with an elongated torso and shorter neck and Heineken's taller, slimmer Star Bottle.

Related Summaries

Heineken celebrated the launch of its new Star Bottle with a celebrity-studded top-secret party in NYC that included an East River cruise and a performance by the band Fun. The bottle, the brand's first new packaging in almost 20 years, is now available across the country.

Miller Lite is introducing a new bottle with a non-cylindrical shape, broad shoulders and a contoured grip that makes it easier to handle. The bottle, which was developed by 4sight, will be available in bars and restaurants this summer. "In our testing, consumers overwhelmingly preferred the new bottle to the standard beer bottle. We're proud of the new design and we're excited to see how everyone reacts to our new look," Miller Lite's senior director Ryan Reis said.

LEDs, a microprocessor, accelerometer and gyroscope are the keys to Heineken's entertaining new beer bottles. The bottles light up when clinked, and the lights can reproduce the beat of music, thanks to the electronics attached in a 3D-printed housing at the bottom of each bottle.

Heineken introduced its new Star Bottle, which will launch nationally in March 2013 and be the brewer's first bottle change since 1946. The Star Bottle is taller and thinner and has an embossed thumb groove that will help improve grip and encourage drinkers to hold it at a lower point, which will keep the beer colder.

Heineken's dominance of the U.S. imported-beer market faded as young drinkers switched to lighter Mexican brews such as Corona. Heineken in 2010 bought its own Mexican beer brand, Dos Equis, and runs a smart, quirky ad campaign to introduce the beer to young consumers. "The future of Heineken USA is in the Dos Equis brand," says Banco Santander analyst Anthony Bucalo.